Aircraft types: Have you seen this?
Discussion
I went to a do at a flying club last night and in the gents there was a copy of this photo:
It's now a civilian airfield, but I'm fairly sure that was taken a matter of yards from where I was, er, performing my ablutions.
Sure it's been seen before, but I thought it was such an incredible photo. Tried to google this morning and an even more dramatic image turned up of a much more recent fighter actually hitting the ground as the pilot ejects. I would post that up, but it appears to be at an airshow with people very close to the crash so I thought (depending on the outcome) it could be in rather bad taste. The guy in that one, however, a Flight Lieutenant Geroge Aird, apparently walked away unscathed. Admittedly after landing on a greenhouse.
It's now a civilian airfield, but I'm fairly sure that was taken a matter of yards from where I was, er, performing my ablutions.
Sure it's been seen before, but I thought it was such an incredible photo. Tried to google this morning and an even more dramatic image turned up of a much more recent fighter actually hitting the ground as the pilot ejects. I would post that up, but it appears to be at an airshow with people very close to the crash so I thought (depending on the outcome) it could be in rather bad taste. The guy in that one, however, a Flight Lieutenant Geroge Aird, apparently walked away unscathed. Admittedly after landing on a greenhouse.
"The place was Hatfield, 13/9/62, and the pilot was George Aird, a civilian test pilot with Hawker Siddeley Dynamics. The Lightning became uncontrollable after an engine bay fire had weakened a tailplane actuator, and the pilot was forced to eject from low level. Unfortunately he landed on some greenhouses, breaking both legs in the process!
(Interestingly enough, George was also a former member of the 'Black Arrows' - including that 22 ship Hunter formation that looped at Farnborough in 1958)"
Cheers,
FT.
(Interestingly enough, George was also a former member of the 'Black Arrows' - including that 22 ship Hunter formation that looped at Farnborough in 1958)"
Cheers,
FT.
The info about the piccy :
[i] This famous picture was taken by a chap called Jim Meads and is of English Electric P1B Lightning XG332 (used for test flying by BAC and DeHavilland) being departed by test pilot George Aird on September 13th 1962. The aircraft suffered an engine fire which burned through the tailplane actuator rods causing XG332 to go into a violent pitch-up about 10 seconds before landing at the DeHavilland aerodrome at Hatfield (not Wattisham). The pilot ejected and landed in a greenhouse. He broke both legs, but was flying Lightnings again a year or so later.
The photo was the centre page spread in the Daily Mail on October 9th 1962.[/i]
[i] This famous picture was taken by a chap called Jim Meads and is of English Electric P1B Lightning XG332 (used for test flying by BAC and DeHavilland) being departed by test pilot George Aird on September 13th 1962. The aircraft suffered an engine fire which burned through the tailplane actuator rods causing XG332 to go into a violent pitch-up about 10 seconds before landing at the DeHavilland aerodrome at Hatfield (not Wattisham). The pilot ejected and landed in a greenhouse. He broke both legs, but was flying Lightnings again a year or so later.
The photo was the centre page spread in the Daily Mail on October 9th 1962.[/i]
Cara Van Man said:
Cupramax said:
Thats got to be a photoshop surely. Cant believe someone would just happen to have a camera with a quick enough exposure just ready to go and get that perfectly in focus...
Nope....it's genuine.....I've seen it as a kid.....and throughout my career.
Jinx said:
Fume troll said:
P.S. The tractor is a Fordson Major, and the plough was made by Aveling Barford. 
Cheers,
Tom.
So are you still fond of tractors......Cheers,
Tom.
obvious joke feeder line
Edit: Bugger, too late
IIRC there is a link between the picture and a PHer.
Edited by ewenm on Thursday 4th June 10:09
I recognised it as a Lightning from my Airfix days as a kid! (don't really know much about avaiation but it shows you how funny your memory can be). Was the more recent incident a Harrier landing akwardly at Basra or somewhere as bad and the pilot ejected on the ground having steered the plane away from ground staff? Bloody heroes..got to be one of the coolest jobs in the World.
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